1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for the emptying of containers, which emptying apparatus is disposed in the course of a conveyor way for the containers loaded with piece goods, in particular, luggage pieces, and which emptying apparatus is connected to a branch conveyor for the receiving of the unloaded luggage pieces, and which emptying apparatus further includes support rollers and guide elements for the containers, and a tipping device with a swivel drive for the swiveling of the containers in a direction perpendicular to the advance direction of the conveyor way and in a direction toward the branch conveyor.
2. Brief Description of the Background of the Invention Including Prior Art
A device for the emptying of containers loaded with piece goods or parcels is known from the European Patent Document EP 0 077 554 B1, where the apparatus is disposed in the course of a conveyor way, preferably formed as a roller conveying station. Thus, the conveyor way is subdivided in a feed transport apparatus ahead of the emptying device and into an empties conveyor following and adjoining behind the emptying apparatus. Adjoining to the emptying apparatus and perpendicular to the conveyor way there is disposed a belt conveyor in the emptying direction for the further transport of the piece goods emptied from the container. The emptying apparatus comprises essentially a tipping device, where the tipping device tips the containers by about 45.degree. in a direction perpendicular to an advance direction of the conveyor way and in the direction of the belt conveyor at the emptying location, and a stroke device with a piston. This piston can be inserted and is movable from below through slot-shaped breakouts in the floor plane of the container, whereby the piece goods are lifted above and over the edge of the tipped container such that they slide down onto the belt conveyor in emptying direction. In an inclined position, the container is supported in the region of its side wall by rollers disposed at the emptying apparatus. A sliding off of the container in the emptying direction is thereby prevented. After completing the emptying, the tipping device swivels again into the horizontal position and the empty container is transported in a direction of the following empties conveyor.
This emptying apparatus has proven to be associated with disadvantages, since a plurality of break-outs have to be provided in the container floor in order to allow the insertion of the piston driven by a stroke device during the discharge process. The disposition of the slots weakens, on the one hand, the container floor and leads, on the other hand to higher production costs of the container. In addition, this emptying apparatus is only suitable to empty containers while resting on the device in a rest position. Therefore, the throughput of the conveyor way depends on the speed with which the containers are discharged.